1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the field of data processing systems. In particular, this relates to the detection of computer data containing compressed video data as banned computer data, such as, for example, computer files or streamed computer data containing a copyright infringing movie.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is known to provide malware scanners, which may for example be web access scanners, email scanners, on demand file scanners, on access file scanners and the like, that serve to detect malware within data being stored, received, manipulated or used in some other way. The threat posed by computer viruses is well known. It is also important in other circumstances, particularly to many businesses, that their computer systems should not be used in connection with improper, inappropriate or otherwise undesirable computer data. As an example, email scanners may be used to scan email traffic for the presence of words or phrase indicative of email messages which are abusive in some way or otherwise undesirable.
One type of undesirable computer data which it may be wished to exclude from a computer system is copyright infringing or otherwise unauthorised video data. It is well known that the Internet is a source for copyright infringing music files, such as MP3 files, which can be downloaded from many different sources. There has also arisen a problem with unauthorised and/or copyright infringing video data being distributed via the Internet and other mechanisms. There is often considerable interest in a new released movie and it is known for compressed versions of the video data of such movies to be made available for download via the Internet. These compressed versions are often pirate, copyright-infringing versions.
An individual or organisation may wish to prevent such pirated, copyright-infringing video data from being present on their computer system. It can be embarrassing, damaging and potentially actionable should such material circulate within a corporate network environment. In addition to this, the use of such a corporate network to manipulate this kind of material is an inappropriate use of the computing resources of the organisation and likely in contravention to company policy.